By Jordan 1972 [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons
and up to Hyde Park.
By Punx [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
I made a note the Hyde Park has a lovely outhouse. Really?
We spend a bit of time looking for the Marble Arch.
By Kristina Dimitrova [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
And then it was back to the Palace that we had passed earlier so that we may watch the changing of the guard.
By AlanEisen [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
Now, part of travel is meeting folks from other places. So there I am, standing at the fence and I start talking to the guy next to me. Wouldn't you know it? He is from Detroit and graduated from the same university.
After the changing of the guard we again walked through Green Park and took a subway to Piccadilly Circus. I am not sure what I expected at the time, but I wrote it down as being a disappointment and did not say why. We then walked to St. James Park and on to Trafalgar Square. My diary says that I took pictures of the Square, National Gallery, the fountains of St. Martin in the Fields... Alas, here is Wikipedia to the rescue.
Thomas Bredøl, [CC BY 2.5 dk], via Wikimedia Commons
We left the area and got back on the subway to visit St. Paul's Cathedral. (I do not know about you, but I am already tired out and I am just sitting here typing.) What I do remember is that it was difficult to get a good picture.
By Zeisterre [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
I realize now that it was because we were trying to take the picture from the side with the dome.
My diary says that the altar was 'just beautiful', all carved oak and dedicated to the overseas soldiers who fought in WW II. It was dedicated in 1958 and is the American Memorial Chapel. Lots of pictures here.
My diary actually says we were finally exhausted. Went back to the hotel and fell asleep. Then got up for dinner - beans on toast and sausage - 25 cents. Total spent today: $2.10
That was a full day! I remember watching the changing of the guard as well and being suitably impressed. Amazing how far the prices have increased over the years. What a bargain you had there.
ReplyDeleteEurope on $5 a day. We had friends who had gone the year before and gave us good intel, lol.
DeleteI wonder comparatively what it would cost nowadays per day to travel lik eyou did. Looked like a fun but busy sightseeing day!
ReplyDeletebetty
We took the book Europe on $5 a day and gave ourselves some room to breathe. Your question is interesting and I wonder if those kind of books are published today. My guess is to allow at least $150-200. Who knows? I no longer worry about costs - within reason- thankfully.
DeleteI love that you met a guy not only from Detroit but from your university! That and the prices. Lots of walking, Denise.
ReplyDeleteSmall world. Explains how the ex-wife (from Minnesota) of my ex-husband (from Chicago) married my friend's brother from Michigan. THAT was super weird when I met him.
DeleteSubway, in London that's the Underground Denise. Did you go up to the whispering gallery in St. Paul's? You can stand one side and whisper and your friend can hear you on the other side. These days I believe you can go into parts of Buck House, not where the family live though. I used to work close to Green Park for Du Pont!!!
ReplyDeleteI knew it was the Underground but wrote what was in the diary. I was sure someone would point it out to me, lol. Not sure if we did the whispers or not. I saw a program about the Queen's palaces and they talked about the events that brought about the tours of Buck House. I believe you can only go when the family is not in residence. One of the bloggers I follow mentioned timing her trip so that she could visit.
Deleteenise, I'm amazed at how little you were spending each day. I wonder what that would be equivalent to in today's world...
ReplyDeleteI did find a story online from 2017 that says it would be more like $100 a day if you followed Frommer's original book from 1957. But two years ago when I stayed in Amsterdam on my own my hotel was about $400 a night.
DeleteThings have certainly changed then, eh? But with it being as inexpensive as it was back in the day, I guess that's why lots of kids just getting out of school DID Europe. Of course, there again, depends on what your finance are, I guess.
DeleteI actually went the year after graduation cause I had to save my money.
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